Wisp of a Thing: A Novel of the Tufa, by Alex Bledsoe

I’d call this an urban fantasy, since it deals with the Other intruding on modern life, but it’s set in small-town Appalachia (pronounced, as the book reminds us, “apple latcha” not “apple laysha”), so it’s more of a rural fantasy novel. Outsider Rob, struggling with his grief, arrives in a small town in search of a song, and is pulled into an ancient world where music means more than he ever imagined. In a way reminiscent of author Phillip DePoy, Bledsoe evokes its small-town setting without patronizing rural communities. Highly recommended for fantasy fans, and those willing to suspend their disbelief along with our hero.